Welcome to your Forensic Science course

Hello, and welcome! We’re excited to meet you on the MSc Forensic Science course that you are soon to start at the University of Staffordshire. This webpage covers key information that you will find useful before starting your postgraduate study with us in September.

First activity

The first few weeks of your postgraduate journey are designed not only to introduce you to the university and your teaching team, but to give you a taste of what to expect on your course.

In Welcome Week, there will be a range of lectures, seminars, and workshops to help you settle into postgraduate life at the University of Staffordshire. 

Course delivery

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, and practical sessions in the simulation suite or in the Science Centre laboratories. In addition, you will have meetings with your academic mentor at least three times a year (in October, February, and June) and drop-in sessions will be held throughout the academic year to ensure you get the support you need to succeed.

Your course will provide you with opportunities to engage with formative assessments. These will help us to gauge your understanding of your subject and it allows us to give you feedback before you complete your summative (graded) assessments.

Each module comprises a range of summative assessments, including coursework assessments, practical portfolio work, laboratory reports, presentations, a courtroom exercise, and independent research project. The grades from summative assessments count towards your module mark, and ultimately to your degree classification.

Your course is accredited by The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.

Semester one activities

The modules you will be undertaking in Semester One will focus on a range of topics, some of which are outlined below.

Methods of Crime Detection

On this module you will gain an understanding of the role of forensic science in the investigation of crime. In the first few weeks of the module, you will be introduced to the criminal justice system, the role an expert witness, case assessment and interpretation, and Bayesian statistics and expert witness preparation.

Statistical Approaches in Forensics

This module will be split into two halves. In the first instance, qualitative data will be explored. In the first few weeks of this module you will learn about observational studies, semi-structured interviews, discourse analysis, grounded theory, and how to use NVivo to transcribe interviews. In the second half of the module, there will be a focus on quantitative data.

Contemporary Issues in Forensic Science

Researchers in forensic science and associated disciplines will be sharing their current research and some of the challenges they face in their work. Some of the topics covered in the first few weeks include forensic biology and ethics in forensics.

Independent Research Project

In Welcome Week you will be required to attend a module induction which will provide key information about the module and assessments. There will also be several academic skills sessions, including academic writing and searching for information.

Pre-Learning

For an introduction to your course, we recommend the following texts – these books are available via the University of Staffordshire library.

  • Jackson and Jackson. 2016. Forensic Science. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.
  • Langford et al. 2018. Practical Skills in Forensic Science. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.
  • The Chartered Society of Forensics Sciences webpage (https://www.csofs.org/) contains a wealth of resources and information relevant to Forensic Science in the UK.

Equipment and software

As a student at the University of Staffordshire you get access to a variety of free software, including Microsoft 365 (including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel). As part of the MSc Forensic Science course, you will be required to use statistical software (including SPSS and NVivo). These can be downloaded from the University website via the link below.

 

Click Here

Academic Skills and Employability

Whether you have just graduated or you're returning to education after some time away, everyone can benefit from the Academic Study Skills resources provided by the University library.

The Academic Skills team is here to support you throughout your academic journey and to help you gain the skills you need to reach your full potential. They can assist with academic reading and writing skills, give advice on how best to plan assignments, and help improve your time management.

The library's Academic Skills Guides offer the key information to make studying easier and give a comprehensive guide to the learning resources and services we offer.

As part of the Independent Research Project module, there will be a range of study skills and employability tutorials throughout the academic year. These are timetabled sessions and are delivered by the Academic Skills and Careers teams, as well as academics.

Groups and societies

Wednesday afternoons are reserved for clubs and societies. Groups that closely align with the MSc Forensic Science course include:

Meet the team

Dr Kirsty Squires

Associate Professor

Kirsty is an Associate Professor of Bioarchaeology and MSc Forensic Science course leader.

Kirsty's profile

Dr Abdulrahman Oleiwi

Senior Lecturer

Abdulrahman is a lecturer in forensic genetics and forensic biology. He joined Staffordshire University in 2019 within the school of Law, Policing and Forensics and lectures at all levels on Forensic Biology and DNA Profiling.

Abdulrahman's profile

Dr Claire Gwinnett

Professor

I am a Professor in Forensic and Environmental Science. I specialise in forensic fibres analysis, mircoplastics and plastic pollution, hair analysis, paint analysis and glass analysis.

Claire's profile

Dr Alison Davidson

Technical Specialist-Analytical Chemistr

I work in the University’s Analytical Methods Laboratory maintaining a wide range of analytical instrumentation, facilitating the teaching of analytical chemistry and working with researchers.

Alison's profile

Dr Sarah Fieldhouse

Associate Professor

I am a Senior Lecturer and I specialise in fingerprints and their use as forensic evidence.

Sarah's profile

Dr Neil Lamont

Senior Lecturer

Neil's expertise is in analytical chemistry developed in the area of environmental science. He is module leader for Basic Chemical Concepts, Vehicle Collision Investigation and Environmental Forensics and is a member of the Royal Society of Chem…

Neil's profile

Dean Northfield

Senior Lecturer

Dean worked for West Yorkshire Police as a VIPER Officer (2 Years) then an Imaging Officer (6 years). He progressed to Senior Imaging Officer, before finishing his time at West Yorkshire Police in the Forensic Multimedia Unit

Dean's profile

Dr Duncan Parker

Course Director

Duncan Parker joined the university in 2017 as a lecturer in Chemistry, teaching on the Forensic Science degrees. He is now Course Leader for Forensic Science and Course Director for Forensic Science and Investigation.

Duncan's profile

Michelle Hogg

Lecturer

Michelle Hogg, is a forensic biology expert of 14 years, working on 2,400 criminal cases including testifying in court. Now at Staffordshire University, she shares her practical expertise in the classroom for a realistic approach to learning.

Mia Abbott

Lecturer

I am a Lecturer in Forensic Science at University of Staffordshire, teaching across all levels on our bachelor’s and master’s courses. I specialise in drug analysis, with my research surrounding detection of new psychoactive substances (NPS).

Mia's profile

Dr Jodie Dunnett

Senior Lecturer

I am a senior lecturer and Course Leader for Forensic Science. I specialise in forensic chemistry, particularly forensic drug analysis.

Jodie's profile

David Flatman-Fairs

Senior Lecturer

David has been a lecturer at Staffordshire University since 2002, and is now Course Leader for Forensic Investigation. His expertise are in Chemical Analysis, Criminalistic Methods and Crime Scene Processing.

David's profile

What to expect on Welcome Week

We're so excited for you to join us on campus and to welcome you to where you matter. During your welcome week you'll be able to meet our friendly student services teams, connect with new friends, join societies, explore on-campus venues attend club nights and much more.

We look forward to welcoming you in September.

If you have any questions, please send them to your Course Leader: Dr Kirsty Squires, kirsty.squires@staffs.ac.uk 

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